STAND. COM. REP. NO.3191

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2002

RE: H.B. No. 2798

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2798, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOLARSHIPS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii to be awarded as scholarships to students who qualify for tuition waivers, with a maximum of $2,000 per student.

The Hope Scholarship tax credit, part of the federal Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, allows college students an income tax credit up to $1,500 for qualified out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the first two years of college. Although tuition payments are a qualified expense, many students in the University of Hawaii system receive tuition waivers instead of scholarships and are unable to take advantage of the income tax credit.

Your Committee finds that this measure will allow qualified University of Hawaii students to benefit from the Hope Scholarship income tax credit and keep the appropriated funds within the State as tuition payments to the University.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the amount appropriated from a blank amount to $1 to facilitate further discussion on this bill.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2798, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2798, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair